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Spanning Renaissance masters to contemporary icons, modern visionaries and even a major Mexican film-maker, art museums as well as galleries throughout the US have some dazzling shows coming up for 2026.

Roy Lichtenstein

Announced all the way back in 2023, now merely a mostly empty page on a major museum's website, this expansive survey of a central creators of the Pop Art era carries some pretty heavy expectations. The institution will be drawing on its decades-old holdings of close to 500 pieces by Lichtenstein, as well as, one would imagine, dozens loans from collections globally. Dates to be announced 2026.

Drawn to Venice and Monet and Venice

Bay Area sister institutions, one prestigious venue and deYoung, will focus on Venice with two linked exhibitions: one location presents a exploration of the city as a source of high art for hundreds of years, while the other will focus on what the Impressionist Claude Monet made of the romantic city of canals. The artist felt intimidated by the prospect of painting Venice – a theme that had inspired the world’s most esteemed artists for centuries – but he eventually rose to the task, producing some 37 paintings, among them the renowned work *The Grand Canal*. Winter through Summer and 21 March-26 July.

Sueño Perro: a film installation by Alejandro G Iñárritu

Marking the quarter-century of his massive first feature, *Amores Perros*, filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu revisits more than 1m ft of film that never made it into the released movie, crafting an immersive experience that doubles as a homage to celluloid. Accounts suggest Iñárritu dug deep into the vaults to create what he called “a rebirth, not merely a tribute” of a cherished films. It's possible the installation will instil some of the hope that pervades Iñárritu’s film despite the pain he also chronicles. Late Winter through Summer.

The Sculptural World of Carol Bove

A major New York museum is dedicating the multidisciplinary sculptor artist a comprehensive retrospective, beginning with her early works and moving all the way up to a new collection of works fashioned from found metal and industrial materials. Drawing from “the 1960s” and minimalism, Bove often takes her components straight from the city environment, creating fascinating and strange constructions that have appeared in some of the country’s most notable art spots. Having had significant exhibitions in the MoMA and the Palais de Tokyo, Bove’s thirty years of work are ripe for a thorough overview. 5 March–2 August.

Henri Matisse's *Jazz*: A Symphony of Cut Paper

Those familiar with a certain publication *The Body Keeps the Score* will be familiar with French master Henri Matisse’s papercut *Icarus* – this is actually one of 20 cut-paper works that he paired with text and published as a book titled *Jazz* in 1947. In the coming season, Chicago’s Art Institute exhibits all 20 of Matisse’s preparatory models – the first such showing after the museum acquired the works in 1948 – plus around 50 additional pieces by the artist. The cut paper works were part of a prolific final chapter for Matisse. March through early Summer.

Raphael: Master of the Renaissance

Italian master painter and architect Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino is ranked with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as the celebrated titans of Renaissance Italy – but he has seldom been honored with a large-scale exhibition on American soil. A premier East Coast institution aims to rectify that with this landmark show. Raphael is famous for masterpieces like his *Sistine Madonna* and *The School of Athens*. With works from all across Europe and over 200 works in all, this is poised as a major event. 29 March–28 June.

Shu Lea Cheang's *Lover Love*: An Interactive Vision

A New York Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art will host a significant and immersive film-based work by Taiwanese-American artist and film-maker Shu Lea Cheang, a prominent voice in digital art. As with much of her work, Cheang in this piece investigates the daily struggles of transgender existence. Lover Love promises to be a highly interactive experience, with visitors encouraged to play around with the four moveable screens that show the core footage. 2 April–January 2027.

Leilah Babirye

The Institute of Contemporary Art Boston will feature recent creations from this artist, who was compelled to leave her home country of Uganda when her identity was revealed as a lesbian in 2015. Babirye is recognized for deconstructing discarded objects to make elaborate, LGBTQ+-themed sculptures. The show showcases new work based on the theme of queer weddings. It extends her ongoing project of employing found items as a symbolic act of defiance. 27 August–18 January 2027.

Taking Back Our Space: Body Language and Power

Expanding upon the pioneering work of west German feminist photographer Marianne Wex, who studied how men and women are socialized to use physical space differently, this exhibition investigates how non-verbal communication shapes unconscious interaction. Wex’s studies included art as old as ancient sculptures. In this presentation, Wex’s explorations are both exhibited and juxtaposed with the work of contemporary Black, queer, and feminist artists. Fall 2026 into 2027.

And more …

In February, the Seattle Art Museum showcases the haunting shadow-based work of Samantha Yun Wall. Beginning 5 March, an art gallery is highlighting the work of rising artist Kwamé Azure Gomez. In the summer months, the Crystal Bridges Museum reexamines iconic pop artist Keith Haring through a show of his three-dimensional works. In September, the Detroit Institute of Arts presents a collection of Georgia O’Keefe’s architecture paintings. Simultaneously, the Phoenix Art Museum exhibits the vibrant work of South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak.